Conference discusses bid to save dugongs from extinction

National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department director-general Thanya Netithammakun headed the conference, which included representatives from the relevant agencies such as the Marine and Coastal Resources Department and the faculties of fisheries from various universities.
Thanya pointed out that the changing environment and climate change had severely affected the dugong population worldwide. There was a strong need for all officers to understand the situation and work together to save dugongs, their habitat and their main food source – sea grass fields.
Therefore, he stressed that the outcome of this convention was crucial for dugong conservation in Thailand, where the population of this rare marine mammal was shrinking at a concerning rate.
It is believed that there are only about 200 dugongs left in Thai waters, and around 150 of these are in Had Chao Mai marine national park in Trang, where the seagrass field is well preserved and abundant.